Local SEO Services Sucker Punch

When I worked in the media industry for a national advertising agency, we would often get local SEO services sales reps trying to steal our clients. Why not right? Our clients were big and small. Even the tiny ones were spending $15k a month in media. The bigger ones were well over $100k a month.

Since these kinds of numbers meant most local SEO services reps could snag a hefty 15% commission, they were always trying to get in on our media buys. Although this was back a ways from 1999-2007 so the bang you now get from using local SEO services wasn’t nearly as effective then. The following video case study will give you an idea how Google relevancy can dominate rankings…

My point is the local SEO services industry is overburden with too many salespeople out to close deals. Any deal that makes sense and many more that don’t. There’s too few working on the front line that know more than sucker punching you with a long-term contract.

Last summer I had a high-profile legal group engage my local SEO services for some of their sites. I was invited to attend a ‘power session’ offered by their soon-to-be fired SEO firm. Honestly, they were great folks who are doing fantastic work. However, it’s about as close to local SEO services as the north pole is to the tropics.

Most of their claim-to-fame is pay per click advertising. Here’s how many local SEO services firms operate…

They get a few dozen law groups to spend $50k a month in PPC (each). Sure it sounds like a truckload of dough. However, they specialize in working with law firms that try to get in on large drug lawsuits.

So to drop that kind of dough to buy a few hundred leads a month with PPC is a drop in the bucket while ignoring genuine local SEO services as an investment in the future.

Local SEO Services Sucker Punch

The trick box so many millions of business owners fall trap to is the quick-fix right hook to the face from local SEO services firms. Namely networks like Hubpages and other mega sites that claim to provide small business solutions. What you often get is a lame, pre-packaged ‘plan.’

If you’re shopping for local SEO services and anyone mentions a plan or package, hold on tightly to your checkbook. The problem is plans don’t account for the finer nuances of your business model. They’re designed to snag a few hundred clients at a time one fell swoop.

I detest firms that jam you in with a thousand other clients sucking fumes on thinly developed packages. What they usually lack are customization. Local SEO services tend to work best when designed around your keywords, target market and audience. So if you’re ready to step up and invest in genuine local SEO services, here’s a few things to keep in mind…

Plan on things taking a while to kick in

Local SEO services & techniques are always evolving

Invest in local SEO services that stay updated

Don’t settle for cookie-cutter plans

Next, be very careful on your target keywords. You want ones that have little competition yet fit your market and are achievable to develop a robust local SEO services effort. If you’re selling tennis courts in San Diego, don’t settle for keyword phrases without the words ‘San Diego’ (or surrounding cities) in the word string.

Keyword Research & Local SEO Services = TKO

Sorry for the TKO reference. For those unfamiliar, it’s a boxing acronym meaning technical knockout. What you want are keywords that you can knock out of the park ranking. If your keys are super-competitive it will take mongo time and plenty of content on your site to rank even in the top 100 on Google.

Going all out for dozens of keywords is a rookie mistake. Start with 6-12. Then branch out from there. Those of us in the local SEO services market are all experiencing changes in how the search engines rank sites. Highly relevant sites with video contained in your content will score much higher than sites lacking good content.

Another trend among many local SEO services gurus is to create fake profile and review links directed to your site. Do yourself a favor and avoid these techniques like the plague.